Celestron OptiView LPR binoculars have built-in light pollution reduction (LPR) filters designed to selectively reduce the transmission of certain wavelengths of light, specifically those produced by artificial light (see chart to the right). This includes mercury, and both high and low pressure sodium vapor lights common in most city street lights. In addition, they block unwanted natural light caused by neutral oxygen emission in our atmosphere (i.e. sky glow). As a result, OptiView LPR binoculars darken the background sky, making deep-sky observation of nebulae, star clusters and even galaxies possible from urban areas. While blocking unwanted light, OptiView LPR binoculars permit the transmission of more desirable wavelengths including hydrogen alpha, hydrogen beta, doubly ionized oxygen and ionized nitrogen. This will improve your views of emission nebulae, both from urban and rural settings. Some examples of objects that will show improved contrast are: the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Lagoon Nebula. Celestron OptiView LPR Filters are made of high quality, flat, polished optical glass with over 40 layers of coating. They’re also protected with a broadband anti-reflection coating to prevent ghosting and to improve contrast.------------------------------------------------From the Astronomics.com website:

The 10 x 50mm OptiView is an interesting general purpose and astronomical binocular. It has built-in light pollution filters for astronomical use. These can eliminate much of the streetlight glare that can wash out the faint glow of nebulas and galaxies when observing from city and suburban observing sites.

The filters block the light of mercury and sodium vapor streetlights, passing only the blue-green portion of the spectrum where emission nebulas glow the brightest. By blocking the unwanted blue-white, yellow, orange, and red light, the filters darken the sky background to let the relatively undimmed nebulas stand out against the sky with greater contrast. Thumbscrews at the rear of each prism housing rotate the light pollution filters into place for nighttime use as an astronomical binocular. The filters rotate back out of the light paths for daytime use as a conventional binocular.

At 29.5 ounces, the OptiView is quite light for its aperture and can be hand held with relative steadiness. Even so, there is a 1/4”-20 thread socket at the front of the binocular’s central hinge. This allows the OptiView to be mounted on a photo tripod for steadier images, using an optional tripod adapter.

The 10x50mm OptiView provides a reasonable level of high power performance at an exceptionally reasonable price. Its optics, including the BK7 prisms, are fully coated with magnesium fluoride for high light transmission. Images are more than acceptable, with little astigmatism across the central two-thirds of the field. Moderate astigmatism and barrel distortion are present at the edges of the field, which is to be expected at this price range, but they are seldom a problem during use.

Its charcoal gray rubber armor provides a comfortable grip, even in cold and damp weather. The supplied neck strap is quite thin, so adding an optional #1277B wide neoprene neck strap would improve your comfort level during use. The objective lens covers are tethered to the binocular’s center hinge so they can’t get lost in the field. The supplied eyepiece rainguard keeps dew from collecting on the eyepieces in use. It can be attached to the neck strap to prevent its loss, as well. Focusing is very fast, with little more than half a turn of the grooved rubber-coated focusing knob needed to move from close focus to infinity. The close focus is not exceptional, at 26’, so this would not be a general purpose birding binocular. However, it is a viable and economical choice for daytime use at the home with a view of lake, mountains, or harbor. Add in the unique built-in light pollution filters for nighttime observing, and you have a very interesting binocular indeed.

Vote Highlights

Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR

- Pros:

Easy handling.

Good Optics: (simple verification) to move away them to 20/30 cm., nobody is able to specify if they are BAK or Bk-7.

These binos are for specialized viewing imo. They do a truely remarkable job of bringing out bright nebulae in urban skies. The Rosette nebula was clearly visible with the filters but without them applied it was invisible. Same for M17 in Sagittarius, and the view of M16 was also improved although it could be glimpsed without the filters. Collimation was also good. It "simulates" well a dark sky.

On the minus sides, star clusters were dimmed (as one would expect) a little. Coatings on the lenses were cheap. The Moon showed numerous reflections/ghosts. These binos are on the heavy side for 50mm, due partly to the use of (heavier) BK7 prisms instead of lighter (and brighter) BAK-4 prisms (such as I have for my Orion Scenix 10x50) as well as the filter assembly. Hand holding them gets painful after awhile, so mounting them on tripod is probably a good idea. If you are not specifically into looking at bright nebulae then a pair of BAK-4 prism type binos would be a better choice. Easier to hand hold longer and (slightly) brighter images.

The use of built-in LPR filters in binoculars is not a bad idea. But it would have been an all-around better decision to use (the lighter weight) BAK-4 prisms, even if it meant raising the price somewhat. For now I'm keeping them, along with my Orion Scenix, as they both have their use for me in my urban skies.